


golden hour

by Britt



Category: Dragon Age II
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Mild Hurt/Comfort, Post-Canon, Pre-Relationship, honestly im not sure how should i describe this ugh, i know that's not really possible but that's why we're writing fics am i right ladies?, maybe not, ooc? a bit?
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-11
Updated: 2020-02-11
Packaged: 2021-02-28 02:55:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,005
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22656628
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Britt/pseuds/Britt
Summary: On a regular evening, Bethany is trying to heal Anders' small wounds while the only thing on his mind is how happy he is when Beth's near.
Relationships: Anders/Bethany Hawke
Kudos: 1





	golden hour

**Author's Note:**

> soooo after re-reading this work i admit that you can see ooc here and there (maybe it's just how i feel) but i think you should know that this was written as a small gift to a girl i was roleplaying with  
> it was a massive rp and there were a lot of other people playing too, so there were a lot of changes to canon so that everyone could play and have fun... i'm just trying to say that i know this work might seem a bit weird from canon's point of view if you don't know about this  
> but again, aren't we all here ignoring canon at every opportunity we have??
> 
> also, english isn't my first language. if you haven't guessed already. my first language is russian and even though i'm learning english for a long time now, i feel like i don't know shit, SO  
> if you find any mistakes, feel free to message me!! i'll be really thankful
> 
> just in case my twitter is @kivi_ann
> 
> ok that's it i hope you have fun reading

She lightly winces, as if she has to do something impossible.

"Is it that difficult?" Anders wonders. He has to pull himself together to pronounce it — his tongue still moves with reluctance, even though Anders no longer feels that he's drunk. Maybe just a little bit.

Her hand slightly twitches, and he immediately regrets what he just said, because for a split second he definitely feels the frost in a dangerous proximity to his eye.

"Easy!" he says indignantly, though the frost disappears almost instantly.

"I'm sorry," Beth says quietly, "I did it on reflex. I was just thinking about things, and you caught me off guard."

"And how often do you freeze people 'on reflex'?"

She bites her lip.

"Happened a couple of times. Before the Circle."

This _"before"_ on her lips sounds too tragic and at the same time humble. Like a familiar scar on the body — it aches occasionally, it's not really beautiful, but nothing can be done about it. When it comes to scars, the only choice is to reconcile. For a second, Anders (old Anders) still wants to turn everything into a joke or at least ask a question about the Kirkwall Circle, but he feels sick even by simply trying to imagine life in there. It's already visible to him how Bethany always watching her every gesture and word, as if at any moment she could be scolded like a child. And being scolded is the best-case scenario here.

Not so long ago, when someone next to her made any careless moves, she was just squinting in anticipation of a hit. She's never dared to attack, even to defend herself. At first he thought that Marian didn't see it; only later he realised that she, he himself, and everyone else, without saying a word, decided to pretend as if they didn't notice that, but acted a lot more cautiously and surrounded her only with love, peace and patience. Fortunately, Bethany was recovering pretty quickly.

He tries to look into her tired eyes.

"You really don't have to do that. These are just scratches. They don't even hurt."

"Can you sit still?" Beth sighs.

Yes, happily. For you, Sunshine, he can do much more than that. _Wait a second, are there even any limits?_

"For a person who got so drunk that he got into a fight with qunari, you talk surprisingly articulate," she adds after a few seconds.

"I'm trying my best, thanks."

Andraste, he's acting like a fool. His puppy-like joy in his eyes is probably obvious. Somewhere in the back of his mind Justice chuckles — for some reason, he really likes teasing Anders about this, although he certainly wouldn't stop grumbling before.

However, no one would want to grumble right now. Everything is so quiet you wouldn't want to ruin it: as if the fireplace will become colder and stop homely cracking the embers, Beth will disappear, and Marian will come into the bedroom and tell Anders he's not welcome here anymore. Of course, that won't happen (presumably), but it's better to sit silently and drown in his infinite joy, which will probably go away as soon as he feels sober.

Bethany finally lowers her hands and awkwardly smiles.

"I think that's not too bad for the first time."

It's her first genuine smile in the whole evening, and Anders wants to somehow take, cut this moment out and hide it somewhere where no one will find it, because when will it happen again: the smile isn't really meant for him, but it's so soft and tender, and Beth smiles while looking exactly at _him_. He has never felt to be so close to the sun. The only thing that remains for him now is to wait for the moment when everything will burn and goes to Archdemon, as it usually happens. On the other hand, you can always bring this moment closer yourself.

"I think I should go now." Bethany gets up from the bed and heads to the door. Is it his imagination, or was her tone really colder? "You need a good rest after today."

He decides to take a chance.

Almost falling, tangled in his own blanket, Anders catches up with her at the door and hugs her tightly. Bethany stands still, startled.

"What... are you doing."

"Look Beth, I know the last week was weird," he starts babbling inconsistently in the top of her head, "and I know that you're mad at me... because of everything, and please forgive me, although you have every right to be angry and hurt, we still haven't talked about the Chantry, about _everything,_ but please. Don't leave me? Because next to you I begin to feel that there's hope even for someone like me, and you make my life so much brighter that I would never let you go if it was possible. You... you're really like the sun to me, you know? I mean, everyone feels you're like the sun to them, but I definitely can't be without you. I need you. You can stay mad at me, but don't leave me. Please."

_Perhaps such things should be said when you're sober,_ Justice remarks. Anders agrees but reminds him that another right moment might not happen.

And actually, there are more important things right now. Bethany hugs him back. He doesn't know exactly when it's happened, but it's not a dream: she holds him tightly and in the end, while pulling away, slides her hands over his arms.

"I need you too, Anders," she stammers, not looking up from the floor. Anders is almost certain her cheeks are burning red (even though the room isn't too bright) and he not sure at all how he should feel about this. "Good night," and then she leaves the room in a hurry.

Anders stays where he is, staring blankly at the closed door and replaying in his head the seconds when his sun has touched him.

He doesn't know yet that he is the sun to her.


End file.
